Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1887-04-07
GEORGE D. PRENTICE.A
THE GENTLE POET EDITOR WHO
ENCOURAGED MEN OF GENIUS.

A Stormy Journalistic Career the Result
Of His Caustic Pen-A Few Pungent
Paragrapils-An Almost Fatal Quarrel.
The Civil War.
After leaving college Prentice studied law,
nut, not meeting with immediate success, he
drirtc1 into journalism. lie was the first ctl-
itor of the once celebrated New England Re
view and it was on that periodical that he
won his spurs.
Soon after this Mr. Prentice was sent to
Kentucky by II numler of prominent Wings
to gather material for life Of Henry Clay,
then about to be nominated for the presi-
dency. While in Louisville on this mission
he was offered the e,litorship of a icw daily
paper, then')cing established in opposition to
the jackson Democracy. He accepted tho
position and was for the remainder of his
life closely identified with t-io political and
literary life Of the south. He resigned the
ediVShip of The Review, recommending as
his successor John G. Whittier, then an un-
poems TO The Review.
Upon assuming the editorial control OF Tho
journal Prentice at once placed it among tho
1NSi lIlllll'ti'lil VI 'hf way il'tt"
the political and literary departments nike
SHINE with the light of his talented pen. 1t
lrcane the acknowledged organ of the Wing
party in the south and west, and to the last
the supporter of Henry Clay for president.
Prentice and "IIalry of the Vest became
fast friends, and Clay was the inspirer of
some OF the most brilliant editorials which
appeared in Tho Journal. But it is not in
tended here to review the political course OF
The Journal under the editorship of Prentice,
though the life of the man and the paper are
so closely identified that it is almost imposs-
bic to separate them. In it's editorials it was
sharp and pointed, sometimes being almost
cruel in its threats, hut more often they wero
swectened with good humor.
Here are Ii few:
"Have l changed7" excams Governor p
We don't know; that depends on Whether
you were ever an honest man.
The editor of the speaks of his "lying
curled up in bed these cold mornings" This
vcries what we said of him some time ago:
ale lies like dog"
The Globe says; Mr. Clay is sharp poll
tician" No doubt of it; but the editor Of
The Globe i, Il sharper.
Messrs Bell a. Topp, of The Gazette, say
that "Prentces are made to serve masters
Well, Bells were made to be hung and Tops
to be whipped.
Mr.. Prentice made many enemies by the
course Of his paper, and had not few per-
sonal difficulties nearly all of which he came
out of with grace and honor to himself. TINS
was not an easy matter when 1T Is known
that he was a bitter opponent of the 'ucllo,
which was at that time so popular III tho
south. His position is defined in q letter to
one of his ,challengcrs: Il am no believer in
the ,luelinr code. ! would not call imam to
the field unless he had done me such deadly
wrong that desired to kill him, and would
not obey his call to the field unless had done
him SO mortal an injury as to entitle him, in
my opinion, to demand an opportunity OF
taking my lile.'
Ono of his Quarrcls came near being fataltn
the poet, however. An editor named Trotrer
became inrenscl at some of The Journsls
personal alIhsions. fired at Prentice on the
street and wounded him in the breast.
Though severely wounded, the poet grappled
with his would he murderer, and, after a
fierce struggle, succeeded IN throwing him to
the ground. \ knife was given him by ono
of his friends, and the crowd which had
gathered, seeing the blood which was flowing
from the wound in Irentce'S breast, shouted:
Kill him. Kill him." But the gentle poet
released tho Suhducd Trottcr with the chv-
alrous remark: II cannot kill a disarmed and
helpless man
a volume of the epigrammatical paragraphs
which gave Prentice So much trouble vera
collected during his lifetime under tho title OF
"Prenticeana," and though many Of them
have lost their point by the lapse of time, one
reading them can hardly wonder that the au
thor got into frequent Trouble with the hot
bloo,led men at whom they were aimed
Though The Journal was to great extent
Il political paper, its literary departing at was
to many its greatest charm Tho gifted edi-
tor gave his especial attention to it, and in
the midst of a great political crisis he would
find time to contribute to it himself and to
read and criticise personally the numerous
poetical tfI,tsiuns which were submitted to
him Many a we'll known American author
has somewhere among his papers a letter
from the kindly poet editor encouraging him
with advice. He prai sed without stint if it
was deserved, but he was quick to see wheri
the poetic gift was lacking, and he would
then be the first to tell tho aspirant Of His
lack His name is associated with tho FIRST
attempts of many of the most successful and
gifted writers of tho day Among the con-
trihutor5 to The Journ,, when they were yet
unknown in the world of letters, were John
G. Whittier, Jolu. Howard PAYNE, James
Freeman Clark, Mrs. -Sigourneys Alice and
Phmhe Cary, W illiam Dean IIowelIs, William
Wallace Har,hey and Forctythe Wilson. TIE
latter was one of the most remarkable of
The Jou' nails contributors, and was tho
favorite proteGe of Prentice He rcsemblcd
Poe il, the eccentricity and weird imagery Of
his composition. and he had that subtle AMI
delicate genius which the poet editor liked so
much to encourage and had i'll great T."
degree himself.
Several years befUrs the civil war Nj
Prentice made some reputation rs lecturer.
both in northern and southern cities lie
took a gloomy outlook, and predicted that
unless some statesman arose equal to the 0c-
casion there would be no resort left bat war
if Lincoln was elected. lie lament@d the
death of Henry Clay at this crisis, anu in re-
ferring TO it said: Ulysses has gone upon
his wanderinGs and there is m9se left III all
Ithaca to bend his bow"
He supported Bell and Everett, and when
they were defeated he had no alternative but
to support the success Sul candidate. Great
influence was brought to bear on him by the
southern leaders to get him to support seccs-
sion, but he remained steattfast lie thought
it his duty, and, to his great soul, that vas
enough. 1t was the greatest trouble of his
life, and no doubt it fastened his death.--De
troit Free Ptess.